HEROIC HEARTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 08/24/2011
 It's hard to believe that ten years -- a full decade -- have passed since the evil terrorist attacks of September 11 on America. I was less than a block away from the World Trade Center that fateful day in lower Manhattan and will never forget the terror in the eyes of my fellow New Yorkers, all of us innocent office workers fleeing the chaos and horrors created by evil men. I raced for the Staten Island Ferry amid the controlled fear that hung in the air and made it to safety on the last boat to leave Manhattan. The visions and sounds of that day are too seared in my memory to forget and too painful to share. In fact, in ten years, I've never written about that day . . . and find it difficult to do so even now. My heart aches. In the days and weeks after 9/11, I turned often to the words of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem Ulysses: " . . . heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield." I still seek solace in those words from time to time, especially when I feel like crying. Like I do today. May God bless everyone who died that day and the loved ones left behind, including the 800 children of the FDNY, NYPD, and PA heroes who sacrificed their lives. We are a lesser nation without those heroic hearts, and a lesser nation from that loss of innocence. But we remain strong in will, and we will not yield. 1 Comment Is Today Retirement Day? 08/16/2011
 According to the US Census Bureau, an American turns 65 years old every 13 seconds. And 10,000 Baby Boomers retire every day. Every Monday, every Tuesday . . . every day. I wish I was one of ten thousand and that today was my day. Endless summer, endless T-shirt 08/14/2011
 It's late August and schools will re-open soon. Labor Day will be fast upon us, and summer will be unofficially over. As we leave the beaches and head back to school and the offices, awaiting the arrival of autumn, we'll put on long pants. And cooler temps will require a jacket after sundown. But we won't give up our T-shirts. We'll wear that soft and comfy tee throughout the fall. In fact, we'll wear a T-shirt in winter, too, warm against the skin, providing a protective layer against the harsh cold of January and February. And in the spring, we'll wait patiently (well, maybe not so patiently) for that first warm day, when we catch spring fever again and shed our jackets to expose - lo and behold! - our T-shirts! The T-shirt is not only ubiquitous in locale, showing up everywhere from softball games to a Friday night poker game to Sunday brunch, but it's ubiquitous throughout the seasons. It shows up throughout the year, regardless of weather, because we simply don't want to be without it. Say good-bye to summer. But don't say good-bye to the T-shirt. Happy 50th to the Wiffle Ball! 08/14/2011
 Is there anything purer than a wiffle ball game in the backyard at a family barbecue? Invented by a guy named David Mullany in Connecticut, where it's still made, that little plastic ball with holes in it could be made to dance and dive, making the batter look silly . . . unless, of course, you were my Uncle Junior back in the 60's. He made hitting a wiffle ball an art form. The meanest curves, drops and screwballs were no match for him. And he hit 'em hard and far. He was the Mays-Mantle-Snider of the backyard circuit. I miss those wiffle ball games . . . but mostly, I miss him. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BIKINI! 07/25/2011
The bikini is 60 years old this summer. I wonder what the icon of the bikini, Bridgette Bardot, would look like now in a scant two-piece bathing suit. On second thought . . . maybe I'll just remember how she looked 60 years ago and leave it at that.  FITS YOU TO A TEE 07/25/2011
 It's ironic that, in our quest for individuality, we buy clothes and accessories--doesn't everyone where jeans, carry iPhones, and text each other silly?---that are trendy and ubiquitous. We all wind up wearing or using or doing the same things. That's decidedly not cool. What is cool is what's always been cool: individuality, nostalgia, and tried-and-true fashion styles. That's the idea behind Cool Nation Tees. While you're searching to be "hip," you'll soon realize that the coolest tee is the one you relate to, the one that tells your story, whether it's a simple one-word statement or a nostalgic design that warms you with a feeling as comfy as running into an old friend. Those are the styles that make us smile. And individual. And what's better, they make for cool T-shirts. Boomers, Buying Power, and T-Shirts 07/25/2011
According to recent Nielsen research, Baby Boomer households, on average, account for 53% of sales in more than 100 product categories. Boomers buy 56% of bottled water; 54% of snacks; nearly 60% of beer and soda; and 52% of deodorant. The study didn't mention what percentage of T-shirts are purchased by Baby Boomers, but I'm willing to bet it's right up there in the +50% range. The T-shirt is part of the fabric (pardon the pun) of Baby Boomer life. We live in T-shirts --- always have, always will. Sure, we put on a collared shirt to play golf, and nothing makes us feel more sexy than a silk blouse on a Saturday night. But, from the moment we get home, we shed the work clothes and slip into T-shirts and shorts or jeans. Go ahead - put on one of our T-shirts and relax. You know you want to! Slip Into a Cozy Memory 07/11/2011
 In a recent study, 48% of the respondents said that their favorite T-shirts were ones picked up on vacation. Other choices were T-shirts from a favorite sports team, an alma mater, a fraternity or sorority . . . in other words, T-shirts reminiscent of good days and fun times. Why not tie them all into one? Our Forever Cool '46-'64 Baby Boomer T-shirts are reminiscent of those good old days of the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's when we were cool, when summers seemed like endless vacations, when life was a bit easier, less complicated and more carefree. If you were born between 1946 and 1964, then Boomer University is your alma mater, and the Boomer U T-shirt is your "school." If you remember metal roller skates, then the skate key designed Tee is perfect for you. Or maybe an old wooden sled brings you back to a frosty winter day of fun in the snow. Our T-shirts aren't just T-shirts: they're memories. | CategoriesAll AuthorIn addition to being an avid lover of T-shirts, I'm also a Baby Boomer. But whatever generation you're a part of (forgive the preposition at the end of the sentence), you probably look back at your earlier years and remember yourself as being oh, so cool. And I'll bet you still consider yourself cool today. In fact, you'll be cool forever, won't you, no matter what season of your life you're in (another ending preposition - sorry).  Archives |
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